Those of skill in the art understand that a trigger defines a set of events or rules that, when met, causes a procedure, that is, another set of actions, to be executed. Examples of events that can trigger a procedure in an access control system include, but are not limited to, a valid card access event occurring from a card reader, an unknown card event occurring on an identified date and time, a forced door event occurring on an identified date and time, a motion sensor activated event occurring from an input point, and a relay activated event occurring from an output point. Examples of procedures that can be executed in an access control system include, but are not limited to, input actions, such placing as an arm or shunt at an input point, CCTV actions, such as executing a CCTV command, reader actions, such as setting a reader mode to card only, card and pin, or pin only, output actions, such as activating or deactivating an output point, intrusion specific actions, such as sending an intrusion specific command, such as arm group, bypass zone, or the like, and other actions, such as sending an email notification.
In known access control systems, it is challenging for various stakeholders, such as a user or a guard monitoring a host system or a central station, a security dealer or integrator, an IT user, or a hardware administrator, to make informed decisions in real time when something beyond what is normal occurs repeatedly within a given period of time. Indeed, stakeholders often become aware of such repeating events after the occurrence thereof, thereby delaying making appropriate decisions and executing appropriate actions responsive thereto.
Some examples of the above include, but are not limited to the following. When a faulty device reports a large number of false alarms within an identified period of time, a stakeholder or a central monitoring station may want to immediately auto-shunt events from the faulty device and dispatch a technician to the faulty device. When an unusually high number of events are reported from a device within an identified period of time that is beyond permissible limits, especially when such a device does not otherwise report a significant number of events, a stakeholder may want to more closely monitor the device. When a controller goes offline after attempting to connect an identified number of times beyond the threshold limits, a stakeholder may want to immediately and automatically launch an investigation into the offline occurrences, such as by dispatching a technician, sending an email, or the like. When a card holder goes through a door or a multitude of doors several times within an identified period of time that is of interest to a stakeholder, the stakeholder may want to more closely monitor the card holder or the door. When a high security zone of interest is accessed more often than the normal permissible limits in an identified period of time, a stakeholder may want to more closely monitor the high security zone. When a card is used beyond an identified number of times within an identified period of time, a stakeholder may want to restrict or flag the card. When a card holder is unable to obtain access to a valid access door due to configuration issues, such as the card holder swiping his card several times to open a door, a stakeholder may want to initiate an investigation of the card holder's access card, the access door, or a card reader proximate the access door. When a special card is swiped an identified number of times within an identified period of time, such as three valid card swipes within five seconds on a perimeter door of a facility or five valid card swipes within thirty seconds on an interior door of the facility, a stakeholder may want to arm or disarm the facility accordingly. When a tailgater in a facility with multiple anti-pass back violations is identified, a stakeholder may want to take prompt corrective action, such as training the tailgater, launching an investigation, or the like. Finally, when a door generates a door held open alarm within an identified period of time, a stakeholder may want to automatically adjust the held open time for triggering such an alarm.
However, as explained above, known access control systems do not assist a stakeholder in automatically identifying any of the above-identified events or automatically causing any of the above-identified procedures to be executed responsive thereto. Therefore, there is a continuing, ongoing need for improved systems and methods.